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Forget Tornadoes. Town Loses
84% of Population to Census

It's bad enough that the Kansas town of Benedict doesn't have a grocery store, school, restaurant or gas station. Worse yet, 85 of its 101 residents lack any official existence.

The problem dates to the 1990 census, which listed Benedict's population as 16. "It's never been that small," says Sherryl Wincle, who was born in Benedict in 1947 and has lived there all her life.

A shortfall of more than 80 people is peanuts for some major U.S. cities. On a percentage basis, however, Benedict may be the victim of the nation's largest U.S. Census Bureau miscalculation. And national distinction of any sort is unusual for a town located in the wheat fields near other towns with names like Fredonia and Chanute.

But it's a distinction that Benedict can't afford. The state of Kansas uses census results to apportion to municipalities the proceeds of the sales tax that it levies. After the 1990 census, Benedict's share shrank to an annual allotment of about $290, one-sixth what it received in the 1980s. Planned improvements to roads and the town park have been put on hold. "We've slowly been going down the drain," says Lola Shivley, Benedict city councilwoman. She says the town is "nearly broke."

To fix the numbers, the tiny town has waged a five-year campaign with the Census Bureau. After two years of angry letters, the bureau offered to send three officials to Benedict for a recount -- and charge the cash-strapped town for salaries and housing, an amount Benedict estimates at $3,000.

Then, last year, the bureau discovered the mistake was its fault, says Ed Wagner, assistant division chief of operations for the bureau. He said the bureau's count was based on a faulty map that placed more than 80 residents outside city limits. Benedict's county government sent a correct list of addresses to the bureau in 1992 -- but it was misfiled. "I wish I had a good answer for how this happened," Mr. Wagner says.

Now the bureau has gotten the message, but Benedict's problems aren't over. The bureau won't be able to inform Kansas about the mistake in time for the state's 1996 sales-tax apportionment. Benedict will have to wait until next year for its full funds. Ms. Shivley isn't hopeful. "I won't believe it until I see it," she says.